Process for sizing garments



2,907,676 PROCESS FOR SIZINGGARISIENTS Roy A. Hatcher, Chicago, Ill.

Np Drawing. 1Application. November;14,=1956 Serial 'NQ; $622,026

.z claims. (Cl. 117- 6 This invention relates to a sizing composition.and method.

It has been heretofore suggested that *garmentstmay :be filled throughthe use ;ofmaterials such .ras corn syrups, sugar syrups, etc.,which'are applied -tdfthe garments and {thegarments tthen ironed. 'Iz'hedifficulty with such practices isthat while astiifening of the garmentis accomplished, there is no substantial :removal of wrinkleswand, infact, wrinkles tend to remain :firmly inposition in the finishedgarment. Further, there zis .aztendencyforthe iron or press head tostick to the garment .duringthe ironing operation, andoftentogdiscolorsthegarment.

A further problemwin the industry :has to do 'withthe ssizing processesI in which the .:c1othes,such as cotton goods, are removed from thesolvent in 'the washing. ma-

' chineand placed inadip tank where sizing-iisadded, and thereafterthesizing is pumped to another tank, the gar- .ments being thenextracted anddried. As airesult of this that the wrinkles are eliminatedWhilewat the samextime permitting ironing to be carried on withoutsticking and without discoloration. Yet anotherlobject is to provideUnified Sims P tent a unique method in which thesolvent isretained-inthe washing machines and a sizing added thereto while the machine iskept in operation for a period of time during which the garments becomeimpregnated with the sizing and the solvent, free of sizing, may bedrawn for reuse, the garments then being subjected to ironing so as toeffectively condition them, remove the wrinkles therefrom, and to givethem their original luster.' Other specific objects and advantages willappear as the specification proceeds.

In one embodiment of the invention, I employ a composition consisting ofa water-soluble syrup such as corn syrup, cane sugar syrup, etc., inwater, which may be distilled or tap water, and preferably combined withdenatured alcohol. To this material I add glycerine, and I find that theglycerine enables the product to effectively penetrate the fabrics forthe removal of wrinkles, as heretofore described. The denatured alcoholcooperates with the glycerine in the penetration of the fabric and thebringing about of the new result. I prefer to employ in the compositiona water-soluble wax which prevents the iron from sticking, or the presshead machine from sticking, and from bringing about a discoloration ofthe garment.

In the above composition, blueing, such as a concentrated laundryblueing, may be added.

Specific examples of the composition may be set out as follows:

H 2,907,676 Patented .Oct. 6, $19.59

ice" :2 Example I 49 oz. of water (distilled or tap) is added to l ozlofchemically pure "glycerine, 2 oz. of flake orchip -Carbowax, a compoundconsisting of polyethylene-glycolrand wax having an average molecularweighbbetween 5'00 ready to useafter the material is brought together.

Example II 38 oz. of distilled or tap water is added to l -oz. ofchemically pure glycerine, .2oz. -(fiakesror chips) of Carbowax, 32 oz.of un'fiavored white cornsyrup (-1732Corn Products Co.) and55 oz.denatured alcohol "(Solol), thus making 128 oz. or one gallon of thesizing. A small amount of laundry blue'ing may be added, and, ifdesired, a rust inhibitor may. also be added.

The sizing may be formed as described above, or, if desired, theproportions and constituentsmay be varied substantially. It is importantthat glycerine and alcohol be presentwith the syrup materialin order tobring-about the penetration within the garment for the removalofwrinkles. Instead of corn syrup, it will be understood that any aqueoussolution of a carbohydrate such as cane sugar, invert sugar, and likematerials which produce transparent stiifeningdroplets while at the same'time adhere firmly 'to'the fibers afterdeposit, may be employed. i

The sizing composition may be applied to the garments in a numberofways. For spot-sizing, thesizing material may be placed under pressurein a pressure container in which a compatable gas employed as apropellant, as, for example, butane gas, propane gas, Freon gas, or-manylike propellant gases, may be employed in a pressurized condition fordischarging the mixture in a gaseous stream.

Since such propellant devices are known, a detailed description hereinisbelieved unnecessary. By-means ofthe gas pressure, the composition isdischarged in a gaseous stream or atomized stream "upon the cloth, andit is found that the material penetrates the 'cloth and brings about aremoval of wrinkles in the cloth.

After the spot-sizing operation, it is unnecessary 'to sprinkle water,and the application of steam alone in the pressing operation is foundsufficient to bring about the removal of the wrinkles and permitswrinkles therein to be readily shaken out.

As an example of the process, a composition as described in Example Iabove was placed within a pressure can under an atmosphere consisting ofbutane gas under high pressure and the fluid was discharged in anatomized condition upon a garment. After a few minutes, the garment Wassteam pressed and at the spot where the sizing was deposited, a smooth,wrinkle-free and swirl-free area was formed. Even though a wrinkletherein was formed later by deliberate means, the wrinkle could beremoved by simply shaking the garment.

Instead of spraying the sizing upon the garment, effective sizing can'beaccomplished so as to remove wrinkles by following the procedureoutlined below:

1 Instead of removing the :garments from the washing machine and fromthe solvent therein, the solvent is allowed to remain. Such solventcomprises hydrocarbons such as gasoline, etc., and synthetic solvents.such as carbon tetrachloride, perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene, etc.Since such solvents are Well known, a further description herein isbelieved unnecessary. As stated above, the solvent is retained in thewheel of the washing machine and the sizing, in a proper amount, isadded to the solvent-impregnated clothes in the washing machine. The

e 2,907,676 I e Washing machine is continued in operation for five minofthe machine, and leaves the solvent free of sizing so that the solventthereafter can be reused. In this operation, the action of the solvent,together with the sizing,

' shut off the pump at the end brings about an effective penetration ofthe clothes with the solvent as the sizing seems to follow into theinterior of the clothes as the solvent leaves, so that following suchpenetration, the wrinkles in the clothes entirely disappear.

impregnation of the garments with the sizing.

In the foregoing operation, the garments to be cleaned are preferablyweighed, each 25 lbs. to be sized as follows: Light sizing, 5 oz. to 25lbs.; medium sizing, 7 oz. to 25 lbs.; and heavy sizing, 9 oz. to 25lbs. The loads are cleaned and rinsed in the usual way, the filter pumpbeing shut off or put on by-pass. The solvent is left in the machine anda proper amount of sizing per pound .added. The load is then run forfive minutes with the sizing, and thereafter extracted and dried in theusual way. In the case of a batch rinse, the sizing is added at thebeginning of the rinse.

, If there is a charge system fro-m 1% to 4%, the pump should be shutoff and the sizing added and the load then run in the charge five moreminutes, the load being then extracted and dried in the usual Way.

In the case where garments need to be sized as to particular spots, thismay be accomplished by using the compressed spray container sizing, asdescribed above, spraying the wet area and drying so as to leave thegarments wrinkle-free.

In another operation in which a two-filter unit may be employed, thedirections should be as follows: After the soap run, set the timing dialon rinse and filter four minutes longer. Set the timing dial for eightminutes,

of the first four minute rinse, add the sizing and run the balance ofthe time with the sizing. Then extract and dry in the usual way.

The foregoing process is effective in removing wrinkles from garmentswhile at the same time renewing the body luster and :giving a new andfresh appearance. The sizing may be employed Without mixing and with nofilter pressure, used in any charge system, and With synthetic andpetroleum solvents. The dip tank heretofore employed is eliminated andthere is a great saving in time and labor.

While, in the foregoing specification, I have set forth specificmaterials and process steps in considerable detail for the purpose ofillustrating embodiments of the invention, it will be understood thatsuch details of materials and procedure may be varied Widely by thoseskilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a process for sizing a garment with a Watersoluble sugar syrup andalcohol sizing and in which the garment is agitated in a hydrocarboncleaning solvent, the steps of adding the sizing to the hydrocarbonclean ing solvent, continuing the agitation of the garment in the bathof solvent and sizing to bring about the preferential absorption of thesizing into the garment, separating the solvent substantially free ofsizing, and steam pressing the sized garment.

2. In a process for cleaning garments in a bath of volatile hydrocarboncleaning solvent and sizing the garment with a water-soluble sizingconsisting of sugar syrup, alcohol and cleanser, the steps of adding thesizing to the hydrocarbon cleaning solvent, continuing the agitation ofthe garments in the presence of the sizing and solvent to bring aboutthe preferential impregnation of the garments with the sizing, leavingthe solvent substantially free of sizing, separating the garmentsimpregnated with substantially all of the sizing from the solvent, anddrying the sizing-impregnated garments.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNuesslein et al June 13, 1933 Bosland et al June 20, 1933

1. IN A PROCESS FOR SIZING A GARMENT WITH A WATERSOLUBLE SUGAR SYRUP ANDALCOHOL SIZING AND IN WHICH THE GARMENT IS AGITATED IN A HYDROCARBONCLEANING SOLVENT, THE STEPS OF ADDING THE SIZING TO THE HYDROCARBONCLEANING SOLVENT CONTINUING THE AGITATION OF THE GARMENT IN THE BATH OFSOLVENT AND SIZING TO BRING ABOUT THE PREFERENTIAL ABSORPTION OF THESIZING INTO THE GARMENT, SEPARATING THE SOLVENT SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OFSIZING, SAID STEAM PRESSING THE SIZED GARMENT.